The Importance of Writing | My Opinion on Instagrammers Taking the Easy Way Out to "Influence"
Soooo I have a mini little rant. And tell me if you feel the same.
With Instagram and all those other instantly gratifying apps, I have found that over the years I see less and less people, especially “bloggers” writing. Isn’t that what the word technically means? Blogging is writing in addition to pictures and all the other aesthetically pleasing things you see on social media. Yet, a lot of instagrammers are considering themselves bloggers without putting in that extra work.
I feel like SO many people have transitioned their sites into just their Instagram platform. I mean… I get it. I get that EVERYONE has an Instagram and that it’s way easier to reach people that way because most people are too lazy to click a link that leads to a blog post. Which - PS, if you’re THAT lazy to take one millisecond to click on a link, I think there needs to be some life reevaluation there. For me, writing has always been important. From a young age I found that writing not only came natural to me, but I took a lot of pride in it because I feel like I had some sort of talent. Sure, writing isn't affecting people’s lives like maybe an actor on the big screen does but it does make you think. Hearing someone else’s explanation or opinion on certain things can influence you to consider a new idea too.
Think about this - when you see something on Instagram, it’s instant. You like it and it’s cool but a picture is a picture. You can write a caption but it only goes so far. Personally, I feel like there should be a home base for anything you put up on social media, especially if your career is in this digital world because these apps will not last forever… but a website does. Writing does and it lives on just like music does too. Think about your all time favorite musician, or even a legend like Elton John. His music surpasses time because it lives somewhere. It’s not just on a platform that will likely disappear one day and be replaced with something way more advanced. As decades changed, he adapted and put his music on records to cassette tapes and then to CDs and now to easily downloadable mp3s. But the foundation of the music was always the same. You can see that records were never going to be the end all be all, and neither will Instagram.
I feel like nowadays people are falling into the social media trap and are considering themselves “influencers” and “influencing people” without fully doing so. Anyone can put up a cool photo and start a conversation or fish their way for compliments. It’s become extremely superficial and it’s so plain to see when someone is in it for the wrong reasons. But what about the in depth details? Your opinion and the way you perceive what you’re posting is yours and only yours. Anyone can replicate a photo. I feel like its about the whole package: it’s the photo, it’s the writing, it’s the opinion, it’s the perception and story behind it.
As someone who knows first hand what it is like to have to sit down every week and rack my brain a little bit to come up with several posts that will get people’s minds interested and going is a whole other job in itself. Why are so many people not writing? It’s actually insulting to have people consider themselves “influencers” when what they’re doing is not even effecting lives positively, but it’s just keeping up with everyone else. And you don’t have to be a good writer to have an opinion or start a conversation. As long as you’re doing it in a somewhat innovative and completely authentic way, you’ll reach people.
I know that the appeal of going on a website to read something has completely taken a turn for the worse but I feel like at the end of the day it’s all we have. When you pick up a book - realize that someone took the time to write that! And it’ll stay a book forever. So if you can pick up a book or a magazine and read it, why can’t you do the same for a website? And if you are a content creator and you find yourself doing that, why aren’t you writing? Is it because it’s easier to just post a photo and take the easy way out? If someone can take the time to write a book or a column in a magazine or write a 3 paragraph blog post, why can’t you put in a bit more effort to your own stuff? Take an extra 5 minutes, and even if your sole platform IS Instagram, figure out a way you can captivate your audience with your own words and just write!
Whether you’re a natural born writer or not, I highly encourage writing. Writing is something that is vulnerable and really something that you can consider yours forever. And whether you’re a consumer or a creator, consider this and maybe make a concerted effort to make a change. If you’re the reader, make the effort to click the link, read more and honor the writing that the person put in time to do for YOU. If you’re the creator, make the effort to write more and give your audience something to think about and feel. They're looking to you for inspiration, so give it to them in the most creative way possible.
END RANT!
